Study Questions for First Exam



HU2700: Study Questions for First Exam

I. Define, Explain, Describe, Identify  

|agnosticism |consequent |fallacy |Paley, William |

|analysis |Cosmological |Flew, Antony |Plato |

|(of an argument) |Argument |holiness |pre-Socratics |

|Anselm, St. |Crito |hypothetical |premise |

|antecedent |deductive |statement |Republic |

|Apology |Design Argument |inductive |Socrates |

|Aquinas, |disjunctive |invalid |sound |

|St. Thomas |statement |invisible gardener, |Stranger, parable |

|argument |epistemology |parable of the |of the |

|assertion |ethics |Kant, Immanuel |theism |

|atheism |Euthyphro |logic |"unexamined life" |

|autonomy |evaluation (of an |metaphysics |unsound argument |

|categorical statement |argument) |Mitchell, Basil |utterance |

|cave, parable of the |evil, problem of |negation (of an |valid |

|conclusion |faith |assertion) | |

| | | | |

|  |  | | |

II. Discussion

1. What is the main point of Plato's "Myth of the Cave"? What do the cave, the prisoners, the chains that constrain their movements, the fire, and the sun each represent? What is Plato saying about true knowledge and the conditions under which most people live their lives?

2. According to John Searle, "The scientist will ask, ‘What is the cause of cancer?' The philosopher will ask, ‘What's a cause? What is it for something to be a cause?'" What is Searle saying about the difference between scientific and philosophical questions?

3. What are the three main divisions of philosophy? For each, state three philosophical problems that arise in that area of philosophy? Explain your answers.

4. In Plato's dialogue Euthyphro, Euthyphro answers Socrates's question ‘What is holiness?' by saying that holiness is what is loved by the gods. Why does Socrates regard Euthyphro's response to his question as inadequate? What arguments does he use to show that Euthyphro’s answer is unsatisfactory?

5. In Apology, Socrates says "the unexamined life is not worth living." What exactly did he mean by this? What would Socrates say is necessary for living a worthwhile life?

6. What are the differences between deductive and inductive arguments? Give an example of each. Why must we judge intentions in order to discern whether an argument is deductive or inductive?

7. Can a valid argument be unsound? If so, give a clear example. Can an invalid argument be sound? If so, give a clear example. Explain your answers.

8. Can a valid argument have a false conclusion? If so, give a clear example. Can an invalid argument have a true conclusion? If so, give a clear example. Explain your answers.

9. Can an argument in which all premises and the conclusion are true be unsound? If so, give a clear example. Can an argument in which every premise and the conclusion are false be valid? If so, give a clear example. Explain your answers.

10. Can a “good” inductive argument have a false conclusion? Why or why not?

11. Explain why, according to Saint Anselm, it would be possible to conceive of a being greater than God if God did not exist in reality? Give the relevant parts of Anselm’s argument. Be specific.

12. Explain why, according to Saint Thomas Aquinas, it is not possible for a line of efficient causes to go back to infinity? Give the relevant parts of his argument. Be specific.

13. State William Paley's Design Argument for the existence of God in premise-conclusion form. Is the argument deductive or inductive? Explain

14. State the "problem of evil" argument against the existence of God in premise-conclusion form. Explain the “free will defense” of theism against that argument. How exactly is that defense intended to refute the argument? Be specific.

15. What is the point of Antony Flew’s parable of the invisible gardener? What point is he trying to make about religious utterances? What does this have to do with religious (Christian) faith? Be specific.

16. What is the point of Basil Mitchell’s parable of the Stranger? What point is he trying to make about religious utterances? Where specifically does he disagree with Flew? What does this have to do with religious (Christian) faith? Be specific.

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